Tougher Sex Trafficking Laws To Hit The Books In Tennessee

(Memphis) Twelve new laws targeting sex trafficking will take effect in Tennessee at the beginning of July.

“Adding this in to the john offenses is huge. It’s going to curb the demand which creates the supply,” said victim advocate Rachel Sumner talking about a law that will now charge those paying for sex as sex traffickers.

Sumner said another important law is the creation of a state sex trafficking task-force, “Traffickers succeed so often because they know the people fighting trafficking are not communicating with each other. So it’s so key for us to have this task force that creates communication throughout the state.”

Other laws will target gangs that are sex trafficking and parents who are behind trafficking.

“It’s sad to say but often times parents are involved in solicitation of their minor. They might be hard on their luck or they might have an addiction that is causing them to sale their child. When that surfaces or that’s happening we think parental rights need to be terminated in those cases,” said Sumner.

Sumner said the laws are a step in the right direction in a growing trend in Tennessee.